Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. Galatians 6.7
The Bible leaves us in no doubt about several people who thought they could do anything they wanted and get away with it. If we will pay careful attention to these, we would avoid the same pitfalls.
Adam (When we disobey God’s command and attempt to hide behind fig leaves, we will lose the privilege of dwelling in his presence and access to his friendship and fellowship). God cannot be mocked.
Cain (When we harbour jealousy, anger and resentment in our hearts instead of surrendering our pain and frustration to God, we will end up doing what we might regret and be ashamed of the outcome, unable to live as God intended). God cannot be mocked.
Abraham (When we claim to trust God but start exploring other alternatives if God seems silent or delayed, we will pay an enormous price for our impatience when the promise is finally fulfilled). God cannot be mocked.
Lot (When following the Lord isn’t our priority but chasing after what’s temporal and fading, we will end up with all this world’s goods only to escape with next to nothing in order to save our lives). God cannot be mocked.
Esau (When we don’t value our birthright and the value God places on it but choose to trade it for less than God’s best, we will end up resentful and blaming others for the decisions we have made). God cannot be mocked.
Jacob (When we are busy in our own world, pursuing our dreams without getting God involved or prioritising his purpose for our lives, we might miss an encounter with him because our focus was somewhere else or on someone else). God cannot be mocked.
Judah (When we secret enjoy the pleasures of sin, bringing shame and disgrace to the name of Christ while still holding others to a higher standard than ourselves, the secrets we hold dear will soon be exposed). God cannot be mocked.
Pharaoh (When we think we are in control and boast saying… who is the Lord that i should obey him and forget we are only a breath away, we’ll soon find out God can take off the wheels of chariots in motion without even touching them). God cannot be mocked.
Moses (When we don’t surrender our temperamental issues at the foot of the cross, when we least expect it, we will strike the rock instead of speaking to it and lose entering the promised land inspite of all we’ve achieved for God’s kingdom). God cannot be mocked.
The Israelites (When we promise to obey all God’s commands but disobey him and turn aside to following other gods, still keeping up with the rituals and routines but disconnected from God, a journey of forty days will end up as forty years as we continue to go around in circles never making any real progress). God cannot be mocked.
Elimelech (When we abandon the house of bread (Bethlehem) instead of looking to God to provide in a famine but go ahead with our grandiose plans with God hoping for anything better, we may end up losing more than we have tried to gain). God cannot be mocked.
Amaziah (When we pretend God is all we have but secretly seek help from ungodly and idolatrous sources as an alternative rather than seeking God wholeheartedly, we will learn some lessons the very hard way). God cannot be mocked.
Jezebel (When we go down a path that seems right to us, ignoring and disobeying God’s commands and leading his people astray, we may appear to be succeeding for a while, what destruction awaits all those who allow themselves to be used by the enemy). God cannot be mocked.
Ahab (When we run ahead with our plans without involving God but rely on our wisdom, the lies our itchy ears want to hear and our royal garbs, we soon learn that the battle belongs to God and all power is in his hands and not ours). God cannot be mocked.
Achan (When we secretly hide our secret sins from others, pretending that all is well when it’s not, our sin and disobedience will bring calamity and catastrophe on others who have no clue what was going on being the scene). God cannot be mocked.
Samson (When we think that because we have been entrusted with rare spiritual gifts, we can serve God however we like while dwelling in the tents of wickedness, it won’t be long before we no longer recognise ourselves and end up in a worse state than before we knew the Lord). God cannot be mocked.
Saul (When we rely on our good looks and the opinions of others above obeying God completely and following him wholeheartedly, it won’t be long before the Spirit of God departs, and another takes over). God cannot be mocked.
David (When we pretend to serve God in public but wrestle with private idols in secret, it won’t be long before we set ourselves on a slippery slope as our sins are exposed. We may deceive others, but we can’t deceive God). God cannot be mocked.
Hophni & Phinehas (When we continue to serve God only to achieve our selfish ambitions while our hearts and hearts are defiled, we’re knee deep in ungodliness, immorality and idolatry even after several repeated warnings to repent and return to God, what dreadful judgement awaits those who have turned the house of God into a den of thieves). God cannot be mocked.
Solomon (When we refuse to surrender our weaknesses or unbridled lustful desires to God but keep covering them up by working hard for God, building monuments for him, and publishing many bestsellers, those who don’t fear God will soon drain our enviable legacy of wisdom and wealth). God cannot be mocked.
Elijah (When we try to do more than God has asked us to do only to, striving in our effort to impress people who care less about us, we might end up isolated, exhausted, afraid and on the verge of taking our own lives). God cannot be mocked.
Gehazi (When we serve God only for what we can get, taking advantage of the people God sends our way and using every opportunity to serve our selfish ambitions, we might end up with a curse on generations yet unborn). God cannot be mocked.
Balaam (When we pretend to hear and obey God but secretly want to serve and obey those who don’t fear God as well, we will find out too late that we cannot pursue earthly awards and eternal rewards simultaneously). God cannot be mocked.
Haman (When we plot evil against God’s people and we think we can get away with it, we will find out too late that God is still the one whose eyes roam to and fro acting strong on behalf of them that fear him and he still raises the poor from the dunghill and makes them sit with the princes of his people). God cannot be mocked.
Nebuchadnezzar (When we think we have become who we are and acquired and achieved all we have by our strength and might and we don’t need God anymore, God reminds us he still rules in the affairs of men as we are not in control even of the next minute of our lives). God cannot be mocked.
Ananias & Saphira (When we keep back our best but pretend to give our all to God only to garner the attention and applause of others, we might end up losing it all). God cannot be mocked.
Judas (When we hang around Christians, acting and behaving like we fear God when we don’t, speaking Christianese but have no personal relationship with God, displaying the gifts of the Spirit but bereft of the fruit of the Spirit, it won’t be long before the enemy finds us available and attractive). God cannot be mocked.
Herod (When we forget who has made us who we are and who has given us all we have but choose to take the credit for what God does in and through us, we might not recover from the destruction that awaits those who attempt to share God’s glory). God cannot be mocked.
Seven Sons of Sceva (When we have no functioning relationship with the Lord or are not under the absolute control of God’s Spirit and do not put on the full armour of God but choose to engage in spiritual warfare in our own strength, we will find out too late that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and a host of wickedness). God cannot be mocked.
Certain leaders (When some people intimidate God’s people and attempt to restrict the spread of the gospel or persecute those on the frontlines, they have no clue that the gates of hell will never prevail, God is working behind the scenes revealing Himself as many more are rescued and delivered from the bondage of the enemy). God cannot be mocked.
Some churches (When we forsake our first love, encouraging ungodliness and immorality in our congregation, exalting an ungodly agenda, honouring wolves in sheep’s clothing, abandoning God’s laws and commands, keen to work for God but not interested in walking with him, ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth, laying up lots of treasures on earth but none in heaven, too busy hosting other events but no time to preach the gospel, we might be surprised that none of our efforts please the Lord as his presence has long departed from among us). God cannot be mocked.
Lord may my life bring honour and glory to you. Amen